leak
an unintended hole, crack, or the like, through which liquid, gas, light, etc., enters or escapes: a leak in the roof.
an act or instance of leaking.
any means of unintended entrance or escape.
Electricity. the loss of current from a conductor, usually resulting from poor insulation.
a disclosure of secret, especially official, information, as to the news media, by an unnamed source.
to let a liquid, gas, light, etc., enter or escape, as through an unintended hole or crack: The boat leaks.
to pass in or out in this manner, as liquid, gas, or light: gas leaking from a pipe.
to become known unintentionally (usually followed by out): The news leaked out.
to disclose secret, especially official, information anonymously, as to the news media: The official revealed that he had leaked to the press in the hope of saving his own reputation.
to let (liquid, gas, light, etc.) enter or escape: This camera leaks light.
to allow to become known, as information given out covertly: to leak the news of the ambassador's visit.
Idioms about leak
take a leak, Slang: Vulgar. to urinate.
Origin of leak
1Other words from leak
- leaker, noun
- leakless, adjective
- non·leak·ing, adjective
Words that may be confused with leak
- leak , leek
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use leak in a sentence
Problems with the lights or a leak can be solved with a call to engineering.
At Moon Rabbit, chef Kevin Tien lures fans to the Wharf | Tom Sietsema | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostEarlier this month, astronauts finally fixed an air leak that had been going on for more than a year—and this is just one of a litany of maintenance problems the station has faced recently.
The International Space Station Is Ailing. Its Replacement Will Shape the Future of Space Exploration | Edd Gent | November 9, 2020 | Singularity HubAccording to leaks from testers, the price is $99 a month, plus a $499 on-boarding fee, presumably covering the cost of the satellite antennae users will need.
We almost had a leak in our beam tube because of something called microbial induced corrosion, which is biology, for Pete’s sake.
Mission Control would then have a go at pressurizing each sealed module to determine where the leak was.
Podcast: How democracies can reclaim digital power | Anthony Green | October 15, 2020 | MIT Technology Review
The NFL and the rest of us were suddenly outraged, just as the leaker must have hoped.
Ray Rice Should Have Remembered His 'Kindness' Anti-Bullying Wristband | Michael Daly | September 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut, of course, it only took one leaker for these photos to be shared around the world.
'The Fappening' and Revenge Porn Culture: Jennifer Lawrence and the Creepshot Epidemic | Amanda Marcotte | September 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWithin hours, the leaker decided to write an op-ed to clarify his position.
On the one hand, one might say that because the leak was unlawful the leaker should not be protected.
Democracy Demands a Journalist-Source Shield Law | Geoffrey R. Stone | April 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMany foreign governments are still angry about the disclosures of NSA spying by leaker Edward Snowden.
Secret State Department Letter Warned: Don’t Release CIA Torture Report | Josh Rogin | April 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIf you buy a boat be sure the hull is in good condition, and that the boat is not a heavy and consistent leaker.
On Yacht Sailing | Thomas Fleming DayIt was an extra leaker with a see spoon, it was an extra licker with a see spoon.
Tender Buttons | Gertrude Stein
British Dictionary definitions for leak
/ (liːk) /
a crack, hole, etc, that allows the accidental escape or entrance of fluid, light, etc
such escaping or entering fluid, light, etc
spring a leak to develop a leak
something resembling this in effect: a leak in the defence system
the loss of current from an electrical conductor because of faulty insulation, etc
a disclosure, often intentional, of secret information
the act or an instance of leaking
a slang word for urination: See urination
to enter or escape or allow to enter or escape through a crack, hole, etc
(when intr, often foll by out) to disclose (secret information), often intentionally, or (of secret information) to be disclosed
(intr) a slang word for urinate
Origin of leak
1Derived forms of leak
- leaker, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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